Panel says stereotypes of black athletes still exist

Published 6:00 pm, Thursday, February 25, 2010

Both the media and society share the blame for the stereotyping of black athletes that continues to exist, a panel said during a Midland College Black History Month event Friday.

At the same time, some panel members said, athletes, too, have a responsibility to society to act as a team player and to live up to a certain moral standard instead of falling into the negative actions that draw them extra attention.

"The media is feeding us what we want," said Midland College women's basketball player Miriam Seale. "We have to change the mindset of everybody else."

Midland College Athletic Director Forrest Allen and Executive Director of Athletics at Midland Independent School District Todd Howey agreed and said until society is willing to reject "salacious" news the media will continue to sell it.

Locally, Allen said, if athletes were to receive attention because of negative actions it'd more likely be due to their status as an athlete than because of the color of their skin.

Nationally, though, Allen said, that's not the case. When black professional athletes fall because of drug problems or other issues, like with Tiger Woods, Michael Vick or Kobe Bryant, it's all over the media. When a black athlete does something positive, it's usually not covered, he said.

"There's a balance to be struck and I don't think society in general, journalism in general (has done that)," Allen said.

Ralph Brewster, former pro basketball player and insurance agent, said black athletes, particularly at the professional level aren't covered fairly.

If Phil Mickelson had done what Tiger Woods has admitted to, he said, perhaps it would get the same amount of coverage. But, he said, in general media attention focuses disproportionately on negative actions of black athletes.

"It's polarized without question," Brewster said.

Once athletes have been highlighted for wrongdoings, the panel was asked by moderator and MISD Director of Communications Woodrow Bailey if they owe the public an apology, like the one Woods delivered last week.

All on the panel agreed Woods owed his wife and family an apology and most said he also needed to apologize to his fans and sponsors, if for no other reason than he portrayed himself as someone he was not.

"I'm sorry I displayed an image that wasn't real," Howey said, explaining all he thinks Woods needed to say.

Allen, though, said just as he wouldn't apologize to Woods if he did something wrong, the golfer owed no one in the public an apology.

Seale said as a black female athlete, her race being a defining characteristic is something she doesn't even consider.

Similarly, she said, when black professional athletes are highlighted for their poor behavior it should be characterized as "typical male" behavior instead of "typical black male" behavior.

Until race is no longer a factor in how athletes are talked of, she and others said, there will remain a need to have conversations like they did Friday.

"As powerful as the media is, it continues to perpetuate the stereotype of the black athlete," said James Fuller, who helped organized Midland College's Black History Month events.